The Windham Bomber Athletic Hall of Fame honors former athletes who achieved excellence through competition, coaches who have made a difference
in the lives of their athletes and supporters of the athletic program.
(Special thanks to George Belden for supplying the information on this page)
(Note: The information written on these athletes were written at the time they were inducted into the hall of fame. Some of the information might be outdated. If you are in the hall of fame and want your information updated please contact Robin Martin through the "Contact" page.
Dave Flower won nine varsity letters in three sports. In football he was the leading rusher for three years in a row and an excellent leader as he excelled in all sports. He was named All-State in football his senior year, the first in football from Windham High School.
Dean Eberwine was one of the greatest coaches in the history of Windham High School. Mr. Eberwine was a coach, principal and superintendent of Windham Exempted Village Schools in the 1930's and early 1940's. Six-man football began in Portage County in the 1930's. Mr. Eberwine organized the Bombers and he had evolved such an incredible "system" that Windham was the State Champion in 1939 (by poll census) and was declared National Champion by Parade Magazine. That team also traveled to Ontario to play and win the first game ever to be played between American and Canadian teams. The high school has a plaque commemorating that team. Mr. Eberwine coached several All-Americans during the 1938-1942 seasons. He was a great moral influence on his students and players.
Ray Ruff earned 15 varsity letters including three in baseball, four in basketball, four in football and four in track. He also participated in gymnastics and was a four-year member of the Varsity Club. He captained both the football and track teams as a senior. Ray was a three-time AllPortage County League pick in football by both the Record courier and Akron Beacon Journal. He was team MVP three times in football and once in track, held the PCL long jump record for nearly ten years, played on the 1962 Ohio Hot Stove F League State Championship Team as a catcher. Following high school he joined the U.S. Air Force where he continued his athletic involvement as a member of the basketball, boxing and softball teams. He also participated in karate and coached the Chanute AFB Boxing Team to an undefeated record. He served one year in Viet Nam. Ray joins his brothers, Danny and Guy, as members of the PCSHOF as the first family to have three members represented in the Hall of Fame.
Greg McDivitt played four years of basketball and four years of track 1962-66. He received the following awards: All American (Coach and Athlete Magazine UPI) 1965-66. All American Honorable Mention (Scholastic Coach Magazine Associated Press) 1965-66, All Ohio First Team 1965-66, All County First Team in 1964, 1965, 1966. Greg was captain of the basketball team 1965-66. Greg had 485 field goals in three years, 466 free throw attempts, 280 free throws made, and a total of 1250 points in three years. Greg graduated from Ohio University with a B.A. and Masters of Education. He was a three year letterman on the basketball team 1967-70, was Mid American Player of the Week several times, 1st Team All American 1969-70, and co-captain 1969-70. Greg was drafted in the 3rd round by the Indiana Pacers (ABA) and Phoenix Suns (NBA). He was also on the East-West College All Star Team. Greg played European Basketball in Royal Mollenbeck, Brussels and Belgium. He has coached at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy with a total of 100 wins (1994).
Harold Stanley was a natural athlete and captain of every sport he played. Harold went to Canada on a six-man football team in 1941. He was the Salutatorian of the class of 1942. Harold entered the Navy in 1943-46 being one of five brothers in active duty at the same time. He won the Aviation Medal. Harold attended Fenton College, now known as Cleveland State, 1946-52 and received a degree in structural engineering.
Roger Stier played four years of baseball under head coach Mr. Leo Kot. Roger ranked All PCL as a pitcher and won PCL all four years. He also played four years of basketball under head coaches Mr. Leo Kot and Mr. Bob Jordan. Roger averaged 20.6 points per game, taking his team to victory at Sectionals as well as District Finals. He ranked All PCL and All District as a forward. He also made the Akron Beacon Journal 1st Team status. Roger played two years of football under head coach Mr. Leo Kot. Roger ranked PCL 2nd Team as quarterback. Roger went on to try out in 1966 with the Saint Louis Cardinals. He then played four years of baseball as a pitcher in the Class A Northeast Ohio League, with Schneller Inc. of Ravenna. The team won Class A League Championship titles three years in a row. 1970-72 Roger pitched two years in the Kent AA Traveling League for head coach Monk Brown. 1973-77 Roger pitched four years in the Warren-Youngstown Class AA League and won League Championship three out of four years. 1978-80 Roger pitched two years in the Greater Akron Class AA League. Roger also played basketball for 13 years 1966-79 in the Warren Class A-AA Basketball League. During that 13 year span his team won several League Championships. 1986-88 Roger coached Windham High Varsity Baseball with colleague Mr. Bill Pozsgai. The team won the PCL Championship Title in 1986 and 1987 along with Sectional and District Championships those same years. Roger is affiliated with the Windham Hot Stove and has managed, coached, and umpired for twenty-eight years starting in 1966 winning several League, Sectional, and District Championships including 1980 Class H State Champions and 1982 Class H State Runner Up. Roger managed ten All Star Teams and served as President and Trustee of the Hot Stove League. He helped start and organize the current Windham boys' and girls' Pee Wee League. He has umpired several local, sectional, district, regional and State Hot Stove games. Roger has worked with Mr. Richard Viebranz on field preparations and fund raising projects throughout his tenure. Roger also had the privilege of playing on a State Championship and State Runner Up Hot Stove team.
Jim Christopher was all PCL in football in 1973, 1974,1975; all District in football in 1974 and1975; and all Northeast Ohio in football in1975. He received a full footballscholarship from the University of Akron.He was also Assistant Football Coach atLake High School 1981-1984. He was Graduate Assistant under Jim Dennison at the University of Akron in 1984-1985 while receiving his master's degree. He was Head Football Coach at North Union High School in Richwood, Ohio in 1984-1987.
Ted McDivitt lettered in basketball his freshman year, was 1st Team with 8.6 point average, Honorable Mention All PCL his sophomore year, his junior year Ted was Captain, All PCL 1st Team with 15.2 point average with a total of 258 points, 1st Team Honorable Mention Akron Beacon Journal, District 1st Team, 1st Team All County Akron Beacon Journal, 1st Team Record Courier All PCL. His team was PCL Champions and Sectional Champions. As a senior, Ted was captain, had an average of 19.8 points with a total of 316 points. Ted was All PCL 1st Team, 1st Team All District, All N.E.O. 1st Team Class A, U.P.I. and Associated Press Class A All Star Squad for State, named to Prep All American Yearbook Honor Roll. Ted graduated with a 3.4 average was a member of the National Honor Society, and was awarded the Knights of Columbus award as most outstanding boy. After High School Ted played in Akron Communale Tournament 1st Team, Walsh Classics Tournament in Cuyahoga Falls 1st Team, Newton Lanes Tournament in Trumbull County and received the Best Player Award. Ted chose Hiram College and received Honorable Mention all PAC 1st Team the first two years of basketball, at MidEast Regional Tournament he received 1st Team All NCAA, Mount Union Tournament he was named All Tourney 1st Team. Ted received all PAC 2nd Team, Mathews Award for returning to athletic excellence after suffering a broken right leg and torn left knee. He graduated Comlaude Kappa Delta Pi. After graduation from Hiram College, Ted coached the Windham Girls' Basketball team, 1st year to Sectional Championship, 2nd year a PCL Championship, Sectional Championship and District Championship. Ted was named Coach of the Year. In 1981 Ted accepted a teaching and Assistant Boys' Basketball coaching position at Southeast High School. He coached the boys for two years then coached the Varsity Girls' Basketball team in 1984/85 and won the PCL Championship, Sectional Championship, and District Championship. Ted retired from coaching for two years and then went to West Branch as Assistant Coach. In 1989 he went back to Hiram College as an assistant. He returned to Southeast High School as an Assistant Boys' Basketball Coach and won two PCL Championships and also was the Assistant Girls' Volleyball Coach and won two PCL Championships.
Danny Ruff earned 14 varsity letters in four years of high school. He lettered four times each in football, basketball and track and earned two monograms in baseball for the Bombers. He captained the footbal and track teams in his senior season. He continued his athletic career at the University of Akron where he had an outstanding career. As a freshman he returned a pair of kickoffs for touchdowns on runs of 99 and 92 yards. He had three touchdown receptions in the first game of his sophomore season and went on to catch 52 passes for 1,041 yards, he was named Little All American following that season. He continued his winning ways as a junior and was named to the All American squad again. Included in that outstanding season was a four touchdown, 195 yard game against Ball State, both marks set Univerisity of Akron records. The talented receiver set ten Akron records, including: career touchdown receptions (27), receptions in a career (131), receiving yards in a career (2,587), yards per catch (19.7), most catches in a season (56), most receiving yards in a season (1,097), most touchdowns receiving in a season (11), most receptions per game career (3.4). He is Akron's third leading scorer (176 points) alltime. His fine college career was rewarded as he was signed by the NFL Washington Redskins. He was also given a tryout by the Cleveland Browns, inducted into the University of Akron Hall of Fame in 1981 and the Summit County Sports Hall of Fame in 1985. Danny joins his brother, Guy, in the PSCHOF. He was named to the Akron Beacon Journal Team of the Decade for 1980.
In 1972-73 David Flegal was Honorable Mention as All-County Player by Akron Beacon Journal and Record Courier. Dave lettered in track years 1-2, baseball 3-4, football 2-3-4, and basketball 2- 3-4. Dave went to Boys' State, was chosen All-County Performer in basketball for three years, was Best Defensive Player of Rootstown Homecoming game, was Northeast Ohio Player of the Year, was 1st Team UPI (State) in football, he was also named Co-Player of the Year with Bob Maxwell (Akron Triple A school), Akron Beacon Journal District, chosen Class-A Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press staff, played in the All-Star Football Game, named 1st Team in Football on every Class A poll, voted Player of the Year in football by the Record Courier. Dave was named Heisman Winner at Akron University in the October 1977 game against Central Michigan (Player of the Game). In 1979 Dave was chosen Most Valuable Lineman at Akron University, his senior year. Dave was the assistant coach for Windham High School Varsity Football for one year and coached Windham High School Varsity Girls' Basketball for one and a half years.
David Blankenship is probably the greatest runner to ever graduate from Windham High School. In the first year of cross country at Windham High School in 1967, David finished 4th in Ohio. In track, David finished 2nd in Ohio at the State meet in the 880 yard race. Set the PCL 880 record as a sophomore. Won 3 district and 2 regional titles in qualifying for the State meet in 1965,66,67. His 880 record still stands at WHS. David later competed so successfully at Hiram College that he is already in the Hiram College Hall of Fame. Was College Division All-American in the 3,000m steeplechase at Hiram College in 1970. His 1500 meter, 5,000 meter and 3,000 meter steeplechase records set in 1970 still stand. Competed successfully after college winning over 150 road, track and cross-country races since 1972. Was 2-time (1990/1995) USATF National Masters Champion in the 3,000 m. steeplechase and has also won several national masters titles in cross-country and road racing. Still competes successfully at distances from 5K to the ultra marathon. He went to Florida State for his master's degree in Library Science.
Gregory Isler was a four-year Varsity letter winner, two-time MVP, two-time Co-MVP, All-League his sophomore/senior years, 2nd Team his junior year and was PCL Madalist his senior year(1980). Gregg was a member of the League Championship Team in 1980. Gregg has the Single Round school record of 34, holds the career scoring-average school record and was Captain his junior and senior year. Gregg was on Windham's last PCL Championship golf team. Gregg was a two year Varsity letter winner in Basketball, a member of the League Championship, three Sectional Championships, two District Championships, one Regional Championship and one State Final Appearance. In his senior year Gregg was captain, he was also voted Honorable Mention All League, was a two-year Varsity letter winner in baseball, Honorable Mention All League in baseball and baseball captain.
Guy Ruff earned 10 varsity letters for the Bombers, four each in football and track and two in basketball. He was All Portage County League selection on the gridiron during his soophomore, junior and senior seasons. He played fullback and middle linebacker. He was the Team MVP in both his junior and senior seasons (1976-77). Guy was team captain as a senior and was recruited by, and offered scholarships by more than 100 colleges and universities. He was PCL champion in both the 100 and 220 yard dashes in 1978 and also captured section titles in those events. Guy won the district title in the 100, finished second in the 220, placed in both events at the State Track Meet as a senior and still holds the Windham school records in the 100, 220, 110 high and 180 low hurdles. Guy lettered four times for Syrcuse University and was a three-year starter at outside linebacker for the Orangemen. He earned his bachelor's degree in communications /personal management in 1982. Guy played for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL after being called to their rookie camp. He scored TD vs. San Diego Chargers in a playoff game and holds the Steeler record for the "quickest touchdown." He also played in the United States Football League (USFL) with the Chicago Blitz and in that Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Ottawa Rough Riders. Guy is a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity. He has served as a coach for Hiram College and Garrettsville Garfield High School.
Jeff Graham was a state qualifier in track as a sophomore, a junior, and a senior. This earned him AllState honors each year. What is extremely impressive is that Jeff recovered from reconstructive knee surgery before his senior season. Jeff was All-PCL as a sophomore, junior and senior. Jeff also attended Buckeye Boys' State, was a member of Teen Institute and National Honor Society.
Bobby Starks was not only an outstanding athlete, he was an outstanding leader and a great role model throughout his school years. Bob was not only a great leader in athletics, but also in class and in everything he did in school. If a coach is very lucky, he has an athlete like Bob once in his coaching career. Football: 9th grade had one team loss. 10th grade 2nd Team All PCL. 11th grade All PCL, All Northeastern Ohio, 2nd Team All State, Best Back and MVP. 12th grade All PCL, All Northeaster Ohio, 1st Team All State, Best Back, MVP and Captain. Basketball: 9th grade had one team loss. 10th grade starting point guard, PCL Co-Champions. 11th grade starting point guard, Regional Semi Finals. 12 grade Captain, All PCL, PCL Champions, Regional Semi Finals. Track: 9th grade. 11th grade went to State on 1600 relay - lettered. 12th grade All PCL - lettered. Bob also played baseball in the 10th grade. Bob attended Hiram College and was a four-year letter winner in football. He was All League for three years. Bob holds the Hiram College Rushing Record for Career with 3,152 yards.
Laura Hickman owns several school track records and qualified for the State track meet in two or three events as a senior earning her All State Honors. She was a PCL Champion and All PCL member in track. She was a four-year letter winner and a four-year starter in volleyball and team captain as a senior. She was All PCL and Co-MVP as a junior and senior. She was instrumental in building the volleyball team into a successful unit in the mid 1980's. Laura was on the Honor Roll all four years of high school and only missed one day of school her freshman through senior year. 1983 as a sophomore Laura was selected 2nd Team PCL in volleyball and All PCL for 300 meter low hurdles in track. 1984 as a junior Laura was All PCL in track and held PCL Record for 300 meter low hurdles. 1985 as a senior Laura was on PCL All-Star track team, qualified in 100 meter low hurdles, 300 meter low hurdles and 400 meter relay (with Barb Showalter, Kim Kacenski and Vicki Edge). Laura also broke her own PCL Record for 300 meter low hurdles. Laura went to State with the 12th best time in the State in 100 meter hurdles; 8th best time in the 300 meter hurdles; and relay team was ranked 12 best time. Laura broke the school record for 100 meter hurdles at 15.7 seconds. She holds the school record for the 300 meter low hurdles with the time of :47 recorded as :47.3.
Rachel Wallace was a twelve varsity letter winner. Rachel was a starter in each sport for all four years. She earned All PCL recognition in every sport. She started as shortstop in softball all four years, and was Honorable Mention PCL her junior year in softball. Rachel still holds the Windham record for RBI's at 45. She was the captain of the volleyball and basketball teams her senior year. Rachel led the Windham volleyball team to its first District Championship in 1986/87. Rachel was the top offensive player as a sophomore, MVP in volleyball her junior year and was MVP in basketball all four years. Her senior year she was All PCL basketball and softball, received the Outstanding Female Athlete award and was also the Homecoming Queen. Rachel attended Teen Institute and Girls' State.
Ronald McCleary.......High School Basketball Awards: Two varsity letters, captain 1978, All PCL 1978, All NEO District 1978, Honorable Mention All Ohio 1978, named "Mr. Hustle" and Top 30 All Star Team at All-American Cage Classic in Akron 1978, Scholarship to Avila College, Missouri. High School Track Awards: Member of Relay record holder(400 and 800 relay), PCL Long Jump Runner-Up, District Long Jump Runner-Up, PCL 100 yard dash - 4th. College Basketball Awards: Four varsity letters (one at Avila College, three at Hiram College), Captain for two years, Team MVP and Ronald Mills Award 1983, All PAC Team 1983, Kelker Award Winner 1983. College Track Awards: Two varsity letters, PAC Long Jump Champion, PAC Triple Jump Runner-Up. Ron was assistant coach for Hiram College when they were 3rd in NCAA Division III Regionals. He was head coach for Howland High School (Division I) with a record of three Sectional Championships, two District Runner-Up awards with a record of 102-60 in eight years. Ron was named "Coach of the Year" by Trumbull County Coaches (1989-90 & 1990-91), Warren Tribune (1989-90, 1990-91 & 1991-92), Ohio Basketball Coaches Association District I (1989-90 & 1990-91).
Charlotte McDivitt was on an undefeated basketball team in the 9th grade (1937). Her team won the PCL Championship against Garrettsville. The Fire Department took the Windham girls over to Garrettsville, blowing the sirens throughout the town, with the parents following behind. Charlotte was a starting guard in every game. In 1938 Charlotte was on another undefeated basketball team playing forward. In 1939 Charlotte was center forward and captain of the team. They won all their games again this season and one tournament game. Charlotte lettered four years in basketball, four years in softball, and two years in track. In 1938 Charlotte's softball team won the championship naming her "Home Run Queen."
Ed Permowicz was the first Athletic Director at Windham High School. He was the Athletic Director when Windham was in the State Baseball Finals, for two basketball teams that played in State Semi Finals and one football team that went to first playoffs. Ed coached 7th, 8th, and 9th grade basketball for three years.
Frances Davis was Assistant Athletic Director at Windham High School from 1973 through 1984. Frances was Athletic Director from 1984-1992. She initiated and coached all of the girls' sports at Windham High School. She has demonstrated tremendous involvement and concern towards Windham during her teaching career. She has confirmed her dedication and involvement since her retirement.
Coach Marty Hill has been Varsity Basketball Coach since 1975. He has a grand total of 306 career wins (1975-76 through 1994-95). He was honored as Ohio Coach of the Year in 1978, was PCL Coach of the Year five times and NEO Coach of the Year three times. Windham has won the following under Coach Hill's tenure: six PCL Championships, seven District Championships, two Regional Championships, two State Final-Four Appearances.
Leo Kot, who will be remembered by almost anyone who has lived in Windham more than ten years, is considered one of the legendary coaches of the PCL. Leo came to Windham in the late 1950's from Kent State University and soon began to produce some of the best small-school football teams in Ohio, retiring after a final PCL Championship in 1966. He later went on to coach the baseball team and he was also the creator of Windham's first golf team. One has only to look at the trophy case at the Windham High School to see the extent of Leo Kot's success in coaching. One also has only to talk to the people of Windham who played for Leo to realize the effect his guidance and wisdon had on them. Many of Leo's players later went on to become coaches also, which may be the best indicator of his effect. Leo, unfortunately died in the late 1980's, but his legacy will live on in the people he influenced.